Luis Suarez

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (born 24 January 1987 in Salto) is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays as a striker for AFC Ajax, where he is the club's captain. Since 2007, Suárez has also played for the Uruguayan national team.

Having grown up in Salto alongside six siblings, with a single mother, he was a troublesome teenager, being involved with partying at a young age before his mentor gave him an ultimatum, which forced Suárez to choose a life in football. In 2005, he began professional career at Montevideo side Nacional. On 5 August 2010, Suárez became a father, with his wife bearing a baby daughter named Delfina in Barcelona. His older brother Paolo Suárez is also a professional football player.

He moved to the Netherlands with Eredivisie side Groningen in 2006 at the age of 19, before transferring to Ajax in 2007. He made a major impact at the Amsterdam club as a supporting striker with the main striker initially being Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, then Marko Pantelić, and later Mounir El Hamdaoui. Following the arrival of manager Martin Jol at Ajax in 2009, Suárez was made the club captain following the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to Arsenal.

In 2010, Suárez was named Dutch Footballer of the Year, having ended the season as top scorer in the Eredivisie with 35 goals in 33 league matches (49 goals in all competitions). Also in 2010, Suárez became a member of the select group of players having scored more than 100 goals for Ajax in competitive matches, joining players like Johann Cruyff, Marco van Basten, and Dennis Bergkamp.

Source: Wikipedia

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Rafael Van der Vaart

Full Name    Rafael Van der Vaart
Birth Date    February 11, 1983
Birth Place    Heemskerk
Height        1.78m
Weight        74 kg
Age        27
Position    Midfielder
Squad No    11

Once one of the most highly-rated players in Dutch football, Van der Vaart suffered from a poor spell at Real Madrid, but has always been viewed as a gem in his homeland.

A product of Ajax's famous youth academy, Van der Vaart made his debut for the Amsterdam club in the 1999-2000 season, aged 17, in a 1-1 draw with FC Den Bosch. Much of his early career was blighted by a series of knee injuries which saw him spend several months out of the first team. He made an average of only 23 appearances a season in five years with Ajax before leaving the club in the summer of 2005.

From Ajax he headed to the Bundesliga with Hamburg, a surprising move for a player who had been linked with much bigger clubs. He helped Hamburg to three successful seasons, qualifying for the UEFA Cup and being named the club's skipper, before he got the big move that was always expected. He went to Real in the summer of 2008 but, despite establishing himself on the international stage at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, he was reduced to a bit-part role and chose to move to Spurs in August.

Strengths: A versatile midfielder, good shooting, set piece specialist and a potential match-winner.

Weaknesses: Suspect in the air, his consistency has also been called into question.

Career high: Named the 2003 European Young Player of the Year.

Career low: Being left without a squad number at the start of the 2009-10 season with Real Madrid when told he was surplus to requirements.

Style: Versatile, classy, an excellent passer of the ball.

Quotes: "He has taken a big risk. Though Rafael has had signs he will play, nothing is guaranteed after what went on in pre-season. He's made his choice, but will he even play in his favoured position? At Madrid he is just one more player." Holland coach Bert Van Marwijk on the player's decision to stay at the Bernabeu in 2009.

Trivia: His wife, Sylvie, has claimed that the player's legs are too heavy and they cannot sleep in the same bed. "It's just as well," she says. "His legs are heavy. If I get under them I can't get out."

Source: Soccernet

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Santa Cruz Expects Tevez Stay

Roque Santa Cruz believes Carlos Tevez will "stick it out" at Manchester City despite his desire to return to Argentina.

Tevez, who signed a five-year contract with City in 2009, has spoken repeatedly of his dissatisfaction with life as a footballer in recent times due to the fact his daughters live in his homeland.

Santa Cruz, though, expects Tevez, 26, to see out his deal at Eastlands before returning home.

"His heart is with his family," Santa Cruz told the Cadena Ser radio station. "He wants to be with his people and they are in Argentina. His brothers and also his daughters are there.

"When one feels that his homeland is calling he may do anything to go back, but I think he will stick it out and complete his contract with City before going back home."

Santa Cruz, meanwhile, is desperate to secure a move to Spain when the transfer window reopens as he has made just one appearance for City this season.

"I am now 29 and I hope to complete my dream of playing in Spain," he said. "That is the main dream of most South American players, so we shall see. I hope it can happen.

"My aim is to leave City in the upcoming winter transfer window and I hope to be able to go to the Spanish league.

"Unfortunately, I am not playing as much as I would like. The club has spent a lot and the competition is huge and so you just have to work every day to try and convince the manager, but even then I am not called upon.

"The situation is very complicated and I want to stay positive, but I have not been given the minutes to convince anyone and my priority is to leave in the next winter transfer window.

"The manager has put his faith in certain players and, besides, he has chosen a system which only uses one striker, which means I have even less options."

Meanwhile, City technical director Mike Rigg has confirmed the club's interest in Sporting defender Daniel Carrico.

"We are always looking at players and I can't deny Carrico is an interesting player, but we haven't decided on this subject and we are respectful as a club towards other clubs and contacts," he said in the Daily Mirror.

Carrico, 22, is a Portugal Under-21 international and his contract runs until 2013.

Source: Soccernet

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Robin Van Persie

Full Name    Robin Van Persie
Birth Date    August 6, 1983
Birth Place    Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height        1.83m
Weight        72.4 kg
Age        27
Position    Forward
Squad No    11

Little was known about Robin van Persie when he finally came on Arsene Wenger's radar in 2004. A young forward with Feyenoord, Van Persie had only been playing in the Eredivisie club's first team for a couple of seasons. Van Persie soon showed Arsenal fans why Wenger rated him so highly and he is now a vital player for both club and country.

Van Persie was handed his international debut in the summer of 2005, 12 months after moving to North London. He had been slowly brought into the Arsenal first team by Wenger, who was eager to transform him from a left-winger to a forward. By the time the 2006 World Cup came around, Van Persie had forced his way into the Dutch first team and he represented the country once again as they lost the final of the 2010 World Cup.

Injuries have plagued his time with Arsenal, though his disciplinary problems appear to have abated, and when fit he can be an explosive player with a bullet shot and a fearsome free-kick. In the 2008-09 season he was named the club's player of the season after scoring 20 goals and started the following campaign in tremendous fashion.

But just as he was drawing comparisons with some of the best strikers in Europe after operating as the central striker in Arsenal's 4-3-3 formation, Van Persie suffered a serious injury in a friendly international against Italy in November 2009 that ruled him out for five months. Once again, the Dutchman must try and prove that his brilliance does not come at cost.

Strengths: With pace and skill in abundance, this forward can change a game in an instant with his ability to achieve the improbable. He is technically excellent with the vision to unlock a defence too.

Weaknesses: His injury problems have been well documented, and perhaps sometimes he takes the difficult option when a simple pass would suffice. Not great in the air and there have also been question marks over his temperament.

Career high: Winning the UEFA Cup in 2002, aged 17, as Feyenoord beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in Feyenoord's own stadium.

Career low: Sent off against Stoke in November 2008 after being wound up by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen. The player thought his disciplinary problems were behind him - it was his first red in three years.

Style: Increasingly likened to the great Dennis Bergkamp, Van Persie is a player of supreme skill and ability who likes to try the audacious.

Quotes: "He is very intelligent and talented but most of all he is passionate about the game. At the start we gave him Dennis Bergkamp as a role model. And he has grown into the Bergkamp role. He is becoming like Dennis in his passing - and he scores more goals than Dennis. He respected Dennis and listened to his advice." Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in February 2009.

Trivia: Van Persie is a very left-footed player and has an interesting turn of phrase to describe his right. "I think you will miss many more chances with your chocolate leg if you think negatively, thinking that it's not your strong foot," he once said.

Source: Soccernet

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Rafael Da Silva

Full Name    Rafael Da Silva
Birth Date    July 9, 1990
Birth Place    Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height        1.72m
Age        20
Position    Defender
Squad No    21

Rafael signed for Manchester United along with his twin brother Fabio in January 2008 and has established himself as a regular in the first-team set-up at Old Trafford, with many tipping him as the long-term successor to Gary Neville.

The Brazilian - who got his first call-up to the national side in July 2010 - is a right-back also able to play as a right-sided midfielder and was part of his country's squad at the World Under-17 Championships in 2007.

A player very much in the Cafu mould, Rafael began his career at Fluminense as a youth where he was initally spotted by United's scouting network, but having been brought to the club, Sir Alex Ferguson was hugely impressed with his performance against Peterborough in a pre-season friendly in August 2008.

That led to Rafael making his debut for the Red Devils at the start of the 2008-09 season, and he went on to impress greatly in the absence of Neville through injury, scoring his first goal for the club in November 2008 with a stunning last-minute volley against Arsenal. His performances in his debut campaign led to a place on the shortlist of nominees for the 2009 PFA Young Player of the Year award.

His progress was hampered slightly in his second season, as a shoulder injury in pre-season kept him out until October, while an ankle injury in the Carling Cup final limited his appearances for the rest of the campaign. Nonetheless, Ferguson placed his faith in the youngster for a number of high profile games, including crucial Champions League ties against AC Milan and Bayern Munich where his impressive first-half performance was tempered by a sending off for a foul on Franck Ribery.

The 2010-11 season brings an opportunity for Rafael to fight for United's right-back slot with Neville, John O'Shea and Wes Brown, in a battle that many are tipping the young Brazilian to emerge from as first-choice.

Strengths: Rafael is a forward-thinking and adventurous right-back, who is not adverse to tough tackling.

Weaknesses: Positional play and the occasional lapse in concentration can get the young defender into trouble - most notably against Ribery in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final.

Career high: The Brazilian ended 2008-09 with a nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, and a place on the bench for the Champions League final just a year after watching from the stands in Moscow.

Career low: Being sent off for two bookable offences as United crashed out of the 2010 Champions League at the hands of Bayern.

Style: Pacy, skilful, creative; a full-back with much promise.

Quotes: "The twins look the same but they don't play the same. Rafael is more forward-thinking, and very fast running with the ball, more explosive. He can go a long way." Manchester United starlet Rodrigo Possebon forecasts a bright future for his team-mate.

Trivia: On 19 April 2009, Rafael and his twin brother Fabio, started a match together for Manchester United for the first time in the FA Cup semi-final against Everton - over 15 months after signing for the club.

Source: Soccernet

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The Comments Coach Allegri And His Players

At the end of Milan’s match against Real Madrid coach Allegri and his players were disappointed with the result and acknowledged to have played with the wrong mentality.

Below are the comments coach Allegri and his players made at the of Milan’s 2-0 loss to Real Madrid:

COACH ALLEGRI: "This evening went wrong for us. We didn’t play with the right mentality, especially in the first fifteen minutes. It can happen that a team has an off evening. At least it has taught us that we need to play with the right mentality if we want to be competitive at international level.
This evening we didn’t play well.”

MARCO AMELIA: "It’s a shame we lost, as we really wanted to do well here at the Bernabeu Stadium. We wanted to repeat last year’s feat, but this time Real Madrid did well to close down spaces and their early goals paralyzed us. If we want to find positive notes, maybe it could have gone worse, seeing that the match could have turned into the Blancos’ goal-fest, but we tried to cut the deficit and didn’t concede any more goals.
The first goal? The defensive wall split, allowing the ball to pass.
Now we have to concentrate on our next match, the return leg against Real Madrid can wait.
I foreboded I would play today, when yesterday evening Christian left training prematurely due to his adductor injury. At the end of the training session the boss told me to be ready.
As for me, I’m always ready, because you could get called into action at any moment during a game. Obviously, it was exciting to make my debut in Real Madrid-Milan, the derby of Europe.
We’ll also play against Ajax at home and then visit Auxerre. These will be difficult games, but we can win them both. If we play up to our potential, we are second to none.”

DANIELE BONERA: ”Unfortunately, we had a slow start to the game and conceded two evitable goals in the opening fifteen minutes.
Then we managed to create some opportunities, but at the same time the team became a bit exposed at the back. We had the chance to score through Seedorf and Pirlo in the first half, but we couldn't take these opportunities.
We’ll play our next match against Napoli on Monday. It will be a difficult game, we’ll have to prepare well. After the encounter in Naples we can start thinking about the return leg against Real Madrid.”

IBRAHIMOVIC: "This evening we didn’t take to the field with right mentality. Fortunately, the return leg is still to be played and we have enough time to analyze tonight’s loss and try to understand where we went wrong. What has changed at Real Madrid with Mourinho’s arrival? He has made them compact, now the Blancos are more dominant on the field. Real Madrid were strong already before Mourinho’s arrival, now with him they are even better.
I talked to him after the game. I’m grateful for what had said about me in his press conference yesterday, as he talked really well about me. I’m sure he’ll do well in Madrid. Now I have to think of my team, because this evening we didn’t do as well as supposed. Real Madrid were superior to us. We have to play faster and make more movements. And of course, we missed Thiago Silva in defence.”

Source: AC Milan.Com

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Casillas: "Besides scoring goals, the team also worked well in defence"

"The match and the victory are important because we did well both in defence and attack"

Iker Casillas was proud about the team's important 2-0 victory against Milan at the Bernabeu.

"The match and the victory are important because we did well both in defence and attack. Besides scoring goals, the team also did well in defence. We shouldn't relax, though, because this is just another step towards being in the final. We have to keep up the fight."

"Higuain did a very good job, just like he did in previous games. On some days you are luckier than on others."

"We break records every day here. We are here to outdo ourselves. We cannot afford to relax and we havr to continue improving. We wanted to take three points to stay in the fight for the title. It was another game. We knew it would be difficult, but we are going to keep up the good work in order to take three points in each game."

Source: Realmadrid.com

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Steven Gerrard

Full Name    Steven Gerrard
Birth Date    May 30, 1980
Birth Place    Whiston, Merseyside
Height        1.85m
Weight        80.0 kg
Age        30
Position    Midfielder
Squad No    8

One of the greatest English midfielders in history, Gerrard is the lynchpin of the Liverpool side and has made himself a legend at Anfield. He scored his first international goal in the famous 5-1 victory over Germany in September 2001 and has become one of the first names on the team sheet for his country.

A one-club man, Gerrard has blossomed as a creative midfielder with limitless energy who is renowned for scoring crucial goals at crucial times. He captained Liverpool to an incredible Champions League win in 2005, while he has also laid his hands on every other major European trophy - except the Premier League.

His impressive goalscoring record from midfield make him a dangerous customer and he is regarded as one of the finest midfielder in Europe.

Strengths: A real leader, Gerrard is a tireless runner and has superb vision. His striking from distance is feared around the world and he is a prolific scorer for a midfielder.

Weaknesses: Has a tendency to play 'Hollywood football', isn't the most disciplined and struggles in the tackle sometimes.

Career high: A vital part of the Liverpool side that came back from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul in the 2005 Champions League final.

Career low: Missing a penalty in the shoot-out against Portugal in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup and failing to gel with Frank Lampard in the centre of the park.

Style: Whole-hearted, powerful, incisive, a natural leader.

Quotes: ''Whatever you ask him to do, you will get 100%. If he needs to play in goal he will do it. And there is more to come from him. He can be an even better player.'' Rafa Benitez, April 2007.

Trivia: At 14, Steven Gerrard had trials with Manchester United.

Source: Soccernet

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Ancelotti Keen on Rooney Deal

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed the club would be interested in signing Wayne Rooney if he decides to leave Manchester United.

Rooney, 24, has been on the front and back pages of many English newspapers after news emerged that he has broken off contract talks at Old Trafford and, with his current deal due to expire at the end of next season, it is claimed United could be ready to cash in.

Sir Alex Ferguson is to face questioning on the subject at his press conference on Tuesday, having refused to field questions during Monday's conference to promote the relationship between the club and Unicef.

Ancelotti, though, has said that Chelsea would be eager to take advantage of the situation should Rooney decide to depart.

"We have to wait to see if Wayne Rooney really wants to leave Manchester United," he said. "If they really want to sell him and, also, if Rooney is on the market, not just Chelsea would be interested but a lot of other teams as well."

Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all reported to be interested, but Ancelotti recognises the fact that Ferguson is unlikely to allow one of his leading stars to leave without a fight.

"Every top team has a fantastic player and they want to keep them," he said. "If someone asks for one of our top players there is no way - they would have to stay here."

Madrid boss Jose Mourinho also said he expected Rooney to remain at United. Madrid had already ruled out a deal for the player in January, and it appears they do not expect to complete a deal in the summer.

"I don't think he will (become available)," Mourinho said on Monday. "I think the big man will persuade him to stay."

Ipswich manager Roy Keane, who left Old Trafford in 2005 after a disagreement with Ferguson, has advised Rooney to put himself first when making any decision on his future.

"Players and managers fall out all the time. It is part of life," he said. "If I was to offer advice to Wayne, who is a good lad, I would tell him to make sure he looks after number one.

"Players are pieces of meat - that's how I look at it. When your time's up, your time's up."

Source: Soccernet

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Rooney Could Quit for £5m Under Webster Ruling

Wayne Rooney could terminate his contract at Manchester United for around £5 million next summer if he chooses to buy out the final year under the 'Webster Ruling'.

Article 17 of FIFA's transfer rules dictate that a player who signed a contract before the age of 28 can buy himself out three years after the deal was signed, if he pays his final year's salary and a small compensation fee.

Rooney last put pen to paper in November 2006, when he agreed a contract extension to keep him at Old Trafford until the summer of 2012, and The Independent has revealed that the striker's ability to use the ruling has been confirmed by the Spain-based law firm Ruiz Huerta y Crespo, who have been involved in every major Article 17 case to date.

Former Scotland international Andy Webster set the precedent when he moved from Hearts to Wigan in 2006, and FIFA's decision has now seen the rule used by Tony Sylva and Jonas Gutierrez since.

The ruling only needs 15 days' notice in writing to come into force and could force Manchester United to sell Rooney in the January transfer window, where they would be able to get something close to his full valuation.

Source: Soccernet

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Thomas Muller

Profile:
Squad number :     25
Position :    Forward
Date and place of birth:     13 September 1989 in Weilheim
Star sign:     Virgo
Height/weight/shoe size:     1.86 m / 74 kg / 44
Marital status:     Married to Lisa
Education:     Grammar school (qualified for university)
Attributes :    Upbeat, helpful, reliable
Hobbies:     Music, movies, equestrian sport, all sports
Favourite food/drink:     Grilled prawns
Passion fruit soda
Favourite website     spox.com
You haven't lived until...     ...you've had a swim in the Ammersee.
Motto     "Even the longest journey begins with a single step"
Previous club     TSV Pähl (1993 - 2000)
Date signed     1 July 2000
Contract until     30 June 2015
Career record:    

• German championship 2010
• German Cup 2010
• Champions League finalist 2010
• German Supercup 2010
• 3rd at World cup 2010
• "Best young player" of the World cup 2010
• "Golden Boot" winner of the World cup 2010
• German U-19 championship runner-up 2007

Thomas Muller is an attacking midfielder that plays for both Bayern Munich and the German national team. He will join the Bayern Munich team at the age of 10 and will form part of the junior team. Indeed he will form part of the team that will finish second in the Under-19 Bundesliga in 2007.

He will make his debut with the first team in August 2008 when he will feature in a Bundesliga match against Hamburger SV. During his season he will feature in 3 more Bundesliga game and will even make his debut in the Champions League.

He will make a name for himself during the 2009/2010 season where he will feature regularly with Bayern Munich. He will mostly get substitute appearances and he will seize his opportunity. Indeed he will come on from the bench in a match against Borussia Dortmund and scored two goals in a 5–1 victory. His performance will then allow him to become a first team player.

Due to the return from injury of first team player such as Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben he will have a more central striking role. He will score some important goals during this period namely in a match against title rivals Schalke 04 to allow Bayern Munich to mount a proper challenge for the title. And in the one before the last game of the Bundesliga he will score the first hat-trick of his career to help Bayern Munich defeat VfL Bochum.

At the 2010 World Cup Muller will also be remembered as one of the best scorer of the 2010 World Cup. He will be the author of five goals during the tournament in South Africa, same as Wesley Sneijder, David Villa and Diego Forlan. He will finally get the Golden Shoe trophy because of his three assists.

His first selection came in a friendly match against Argentina in March 2010 where Germany will lose 1-0. However Thomas Muller has played at the under-16 and under-21 level for Germany. He has earned 6 caps for the under-21 team.

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Henry Defends Reds price

New Liverpool owner John W Henry has denied suggestions he bought the club for a "cheap price" and revealed he feared the takeover may provide "too big a challenge".

Former co-owner Tom Hicks has been outspoken about his belief that the £300 million deal undervalued the club, describing the takeover as an "epic swindle" and "organised conspiracy".

However, Henry feels the problems at the club mean the price the New England Sports Ventures group paid was a significant risk.

"I know some people are saying this was a cheap price for the club but there is no way we look at it like that," he said. "As you do due diligence, if you are really diligent, you are trying to find everything that's wrong - and we found plenty.

"There is a huge amount of work to do here and it will take a long time. There were big financial issues but in the end we decided we really wanted to compete at this level.

"We have to be smart, bold and aggressive because it's a great challenge. There were lots of reasons why we could have decided not to go through with this.

"There were many times we thought it was too big a challenge but this club is worth it - and we are excited by that challenge."

Source: Soccernet

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Madrid Weigh Up Move For Rooney

Real Madrid's director general, Jorge Valdano, has confirmed his admiration for Wayne Rooney but suggested there may be no place for him in the current team.

Rooney sparked talk of a Manchester United exit last week when he contradicted Sir Alex Ferguson's claims that he had an ankle injury, and it is said he is now refusing to discuss a contract extension.

Rooney, 24, has just 18 months to run on his current deal and, amid claims he has fallen out with Ferguson, it is reported that United could cash in.

United took the unusual step of dismissing the stories on Sunday - "To suggest Wayne Rooney will be sold in January is nonsense," a club spokesman said - but the reports have intensified across the English press on Monday morning.

Madrid have long been linked with a move for Rooney, with former president Ramon Calderon claiming in March that his successor, Florentino Perez, is "obsessed" with the England international, while Cristiano Ronaldo has said he would be a "sensation" at the Bernabeu.

Jose Mourinho has talked down the prospect of a new signing in January despite strong links with Athletic Bilbao forward Fernando Llorente, but he is known to be keen to add further options in attack with only Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema as traditional strikers.

Valdano told Telemadrid: "I really like Llorente and Rooney, too, but the question is, if Rooney comes, who do we take out of the team? We have a brilliant strikeforce in Ronaldo and Higuain and now we have added Ozil and Di Maria to complement them."

An exchange deal involving former United target Karim Benzema has been suggested in the press as a possible solution, but Valdano indicated that the striker has a future at the Bernabeu: "There are some very young players at the club with a lot to prove - for example Benzema. Maybe we have a solution for the next ten years."

Source: Soccernet

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Mesut Ozil

Place of Birth: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Date of Birth: 15/10/1988
Position: Midfielder
Weight: 70 kg.
Height: 181 cm.
Nationality: German

A constant work in progress, Mesut Ozil has quickly earned a reputation as an elegant and versatile midfielder. His knack for the final pass, his free-flowing movement on every third of the pitch and his exquisite left foot earned Ozil a spot in Shalke 04's academy in 2005. It only took one season for the midfielder to earn his promotion to the first team and he made his Bundesliga debut at the age of 17.

During the winter transfer window 0f 2008, Ozil completed a switch to Werder Bremen, where he played over 60 matches and scored 13 goals. With Werder, the midfielder went on to win the 2009 DFB Cup and the 2009 DFL Supercup. On an individual level, Ozil was rewarded for his outstanding Bundesliga play by being named the best player of the first leg of the 2009 season.

Ozil is paving the way for the German national team's new generation of players. Although of Turkish decent, his entire life has been committed to Germany. He played for the Under-17 side and moved his way up to the Under-21 side, which won the 2009 European Championship. Ozil provided two assists and scored a goal in the final against England.

His debut with the senior side dates back to 12 August 2009, when Germany defeated Azerbaijan. Ozil continued to impress in World Cup qualifiers and by the end of the 2010 World Cup was among the ten finalists for the Golden Boot.

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Yoann Gourcuff

Position : Midfielder
Best foot : Right
Birth : 17 October 2010 at Ploemeur
Nationality : Française - 22 appearance(s)
Height : 1m85
Weight : 79 kg
Joined OL : 25/08/2010

Many players have been burdened by unwelcome comparisons with the game's greats, but in Yoann Gourcuff, France hope they have found their successor to the great Zinedine Zidane. Operating in behind the strikers and boasting the kind of technique and creativity that marked out his predecessor as the finest player of his generation, Gourcuff all the tools to follow in his footsteps.

After early success with Rennes earned him a move to Italian giants AC Milan in 2006, his career stalled as he could not get a game in Milan. And it took a return to France to kick-start his career.

He joined Bordeaux on loan in the summer of 2008 and his career flourished once more - as he lead Les Girondins to the league and Coupe de la Ligue titles as well as being named the French League's Player of the Year after scoring 12 goals and claiming 11 assists.

Bordeaux signed him on a permanent basis for £13 million in the summer of 2009, leaving AC Milan to rue the departure of a natural successor for Kaka. Gourcuff continued to shine for Bordeaux and was named on the shortlist for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in 2009, but his love affair with the club soured when manager Laurent Blanc chose to move on and he signed for Lyon for €22 million in August 2010.

Strengths: A playmaker of real quality, Gourcuff is an accomplished passer of the ball and has showcased his creative streak on numerous occasions. His technique bears comparison to the finest players on the globe and he is capable of scoring spectacular goals.

Weaknesses: Carlo Ancelotti identified mental frailties during Gourcuff's time in Italy while he has also been accused of being too selfish.

Career high: His remarkable year in 2008-09 as he scooped the French Player of the Year award when inspiring Bordeaux to the league title. He even scored the goal of the season with a wonderful individual strike against Paris Saint Germain.

Career low: Failing to make the grade at Milan and starting just four Serie A games in the 2007-08 season as Rossoneri manager Ancelotti claimed psychological issues were to blame.

Style: Inventive, extravagant, perceptive, an accomplished playmaker.

Quotes: "Gourcuff is a player with great talent. He's fantastic, if he continues like this, at the end of his career he will be remembered in football history, I'm sure of this." Kaka, June 2009.

Trivia: Gourcuff's father, Christian, is currently manager of French side Lorient, who beat Lyon 2-0 on Yoann's debut.

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Gonzalo Higuain

Place of Birth: Brest, France
Date of Birth: 10/12/1987
Position: Forward
Weight: 81.5 kg
Height: 184 cm
Nationality: Argentine/French

Gonzalo Higuaín jumped onto the world football stage after being named Breakthrough Player on Argentina’s 2006 Torneo Apertura. "Pipita" is known for his speed in the last third of the pitch, his great striking ability, and his precisionpassing. Quick, elegant, and a knack for decision-making make Higuaín a fashionable forward in today's world of football.

Higuaín scored his first goal as Madridista against Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderón Stadium in 2006/07. His propensity for scoring in derbies dates back to his first Boca-River clash, when he led Los Millonarios to victory with a stunning brace. During his first year with Real Madrid he was criticised for rushing his shots on goal, but his few successful finishes were worth their weight in gold; Higuaín netted the game winner in the team’s amazing 4-3 comeback against Espanyol and lit a spark under his teammates in the season-closer against Mallorca.

Whether he plays close to the six-yard box or along the right wing, Higuaín has what it takes to be a goal-scoring machine.

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Carlos Tevez

Position: Striker
Height (ft): 5' 8"
Date of birth: 05 February 1984
Weight (st) :
Place of birth: Cuidadela, Argentina
International caps / goals: 51 / 8

Carlos Tevez is a history maker in South America having been named that continent’s player of the season for three years in succession.

When he joined the Blues on July 14 2009 he became Mark Hughes’ fourth new signing of the summer following the arrival of Gareth Barry, Stuart Taylor and Roque Santa Cruz.

He arrived garlanded with medals having won the Copa Scudamerocana, the Intercontinental Cup, the Primera Division and the Copa Libertadores with Boca Juniors and Serie A in Brazil with Corinthians before moving to England, where he won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Carling Cup.

To add to that little lot, he won a gold medal in 2004 at the Athens Olympics, where he also picked up the Golden Boot.

Tevez signed a five-year deal after an extended loan spell at Old Trafford, where he clocked up 99 league and cup starts and bagged 34 goals. He has previously spent a season with West Ham, where his winner at Old Trafford on the last day of the season prevented relegation

Carlos’ scoring ratio with Boca was better than one in three games, and he improved that to better than one in two at his second club Corinthians. So it was no surprise when he scored 29 goals in all competitions in 2009-10, his best-ever haul, and won both the fans' and the players' Player of the Year award.

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